I had recently had the opportunity to explore the country of Nepal. While my initial motivation to travel this this region was to have a hiking adventure among the Himalayan Mountains, I also wanted to ensure that I spent some time exploring the history and culture of this region as well, primarily within the city of Kathmandu which is filled with 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites, some of which date back to the 3rd century. In the past, modern Kathmandu was composed of 3 kingdoms: Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan. Each of these kingdoms had their own royal palace and central square which was used as the local center of commerce and social activity. These centers are known as Dhurbar Squares. Although these 3 kingdoms combined generations ago, each of these palaces have been conserved and are now protected historical sites within the city. The first palace and Dhurbar Square that I was able to explore was the one located in Bhaktapur, and this location would wind up being my first UNESCO World Heritage experience within Nepal. This is a section of the city that has preserved its historical culture and buildings, dating back to the 16th century. Walking these streets, easily lets you feel transported back in time as you wander past street after street of wooden buildings covered with amazing intricate woodwork in addition to a plethora of shrines, temples, and pagodas that were built and preserved here for centuries. Bhaktapur was the largest of the 3 Dhurbar Squares within Kathmandu valley and it took most of the day to explore. The region took up many city blocks which were all made up historic wooden buildings covered in carvings. Due to time as well as regional earthquakes, not all the buildings located here were original however the city had done a tremendous job in the repair and preservation of this section of the city. When at all possible, any building that was destroyed over time was rebuilt using the same material. If the original material was not available, care was still taken to find material and use techniques that would allow the restoration to blend in with the original sections of Bhaktapur. Bhaktapur is also home to the peacock window, a prominent landmark within Nepal. This is an intricately carved wooden panel within one of the region’s temples that depicts the image of a peacock. The level of detail within the wooden carvings on this window, allow to stand out among many of the other carvings found here.
In addition, seeing some traditional artisans displaying their craft was a joy to behold as well, whether it was local painting techniques or Terra Cota pottery making. It's amazing seeing a place like this preserved so well in time. I was even able to see a clay pot artisan who had spent decades using traditional techniques which including rapidly spinning a stone pottery wheel by hand before molding the clay placed on top into a decorative clay plot within 3 minutes. While all 3 kingdoms were covered in wood carvings, Bhaktapur was best known for this art. Many shops located within Bhaktapur created and sold a variety of wood carvings featuring subjects such as Buddha, local wildlife, and Hindu religious symbols. Bhaktapur also show cased the region’s harmonious coexistence between the different religions that have called this region home. While Hinduism is the most common religion within Nepal (followed by Buddhism); there are 3 distinct sects of Hinduism that are practiced within the country and the shrines for all 3 can be found built next to one another through Bhaktapur.
While I was in Kathmandu, I was also able to see the palaces and Dhurbar Squares of both Patan and Kathmandu to ensure I was able to view all 3 central squares and royal palaces the existed in the historic kingdoms that previously existed within the Kathmandu Valley. It's amazing to spend the day exploring so much history that dates all the way back to the 4th century AD. Each of these locations were filled with incredibly intricate woodwork on many of the buildings depicting the regional religious figures with the majority representing Buddhism and Hinduism. Although many of the wooden carvings had been painted when they were first built, the vast majority of these are now unpainted. Each square has been repurposed in a manner that is able to both conserve the historical buildings and region while also allowing the area to be used in modern commerce to benefit those living in the region. Each of the 3 historic centers still have people living within the historic homes and many of the shops that were in the bottom floors of the buildings are still in use as modern day stories and restaurants. The large amount of both local and international visitors who come to Kathmandu and spend time within these areas, allow these shops to be very well placed to bring in a lot of tourism revenue, providing continued benefit to those living in modern Kathmandu. While Bhaktapur was best known for its wood carvings, by contrast, Patan was best known for its metal sculptures which can be found in many of the shops in this square. Patan had also converted a portion of its palace into a museum that displays the historic artifacts from the region, providing further opportunity to learn about the area’s history and culture. The architecture of all 3 city squares was overall similar with each location was filled with pagodas, palaces, shrines, and stupas. One of the best experiences I was able to enjoy is having a coffee in a café that overlooked the central market, allowing me a peaceful meal with a great view of the historic buildings and temples rising above me.
The next UNESCO site that I visited within Kathmandu was known as Swayambhunath Stupa, better known as the Monkey Temple. This was a Buddhist stupa located on a hill within Kathmandu that is best known for the 1000s of monkeys that live within the monument and surrounding area. The monument also is a great example of the Buddha eye painting and architectural design that is a signature of this region. Following my time at Swayambhunath, I traveled to a Hindu temple that was in the former kingdom of Bhaktapur, known as the Changunarayan Temple. While the architecture of this temple was like the ones found in the previous central markets, this location was able to stand out greatly since it was the only temple on my trip whose wooden carvings were painted with vivid colors. Being able to see how these temples had looked at their founding allowed me to imagine how all 3 kingdoms looked in the best with all the central markets I had walked through previously being covered in similarly beautiful paint. The Changunarayan Temple is also considered one of the oldest settlements with Kathmandu with stone carvings of the settlements founding within the temple being dated back to the 3rd century.
The next site that I visited was extremely unique. Known as the Pashupatinath Temple, this is a sacred site for the Hindu religion and is used as the location for public open-air cremations. During my brief visit to the site, I was able to see several such rituals take place in person. These open-air cremations are held publicly, allowing both the family and community to bid farewell to those who have passed away.
The 7th and final UNESCO World Heritage Site that I was able to see in Kathmandu was the Buddha Stupa, located in the middle of the city of Kathmandu. This is the largest stupa in Kathmandu and features the signature architecture of Nepalese stupas as well as the Buddha Eyes art that are prevalent throughout the region’s artwork. This is likely the city's most well-known landmark and is a must see for anyone visiting Nepal. The monument itself is incredible to see in person, where it's full size can really be appreciated and the area surrounding the stupa offers a circle of shops and restaurants that can also be explored for hours. As with Bhaktapur, one of the standout experiences I had was enjoying a lunch at a restaurant that was overlooking this monument. The restaurant itself was located on the 5th floor of a restaurant located directly next to the Buddha Stupa allowing me to enjoy a unique aerial view of this site that is not often seen in travel photographs. In addition, this restaurant provided a great meal and would up being my final Thali platter within the city before it was time for me to drive towards the airport and begin my journey back to the United States.
Having the opportunity to enjoy the history of a country that dates back thousands of years was a very rewarding experience. Being able to take in a variety of cultures within the world allows travelers to expand their own views of the world we live in, and garner fresh perspectives of how different individuals live their lives. I feel privileged to have gotten the opportunity to have this experience within Kathmandu and look forward to further expanding my perspective of the world as I travel to other countries. But that is a story for another day…
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